Were you lucky enough to watch the Emeril last night? The episode was capsulized this way in the Daily News: "Emeril is forced to wear a new jacket." Dave holds up a placard with the Daily News TV grid. Sure enough, it reads, "Emeril is forced to wear a new jacket." This wasn't something we doctored up. This came right from the New York Daily News. How many Emeril shows have there been? Three? And this is what they come up with? I can't imagine the Emeril story lines 7 years from now.

Right when this joke was over, Headwriter Justin Stangel has me call Research asking for last Tuesday's Daily News. What was last week's Emeril episode about? It's equally as lame, so we direct the graphics department to quickly put together another black placard with last week's Daily News TV grid. I send Greg the intern to stand by the graphics department to wait for the finished product. He is to run it down as soon as it is ready.

PAYPHONE TRIFECTA: You know how this works, but I hope you stayed tuned anyway. Dave, Paul, and Rupert each call a phone at the payphone on the corner of Broadway and 53rd. Whoever picks up first wins something. Dave added a twist tonight: The person has to answer with the "phrase that pays." Tonight's "Phrase that Pays" - "I'm living in a powderkeg and I'm giving off sparks." Dave makes the small talk with Rupert, asking if he knows the "Phrase that Pays." Rupert sheepishly says, "Uh, I heard you say it but I forgot." Dave repeats it for Rupert and then has Rupert repeat back to him. Now that that's ironed out, it's time to play the game. After much payphone mayhem, Rupert exclaims, "Uh, Dave? I got someone." I notice that Rupert's "sheepish" replies sound much like his "exclaims" responses. Who is the winner? A guy named Mike. Rupert runs out to the payphones to bring in Mike. As Rupert and Mike pass the office entrance to the Ed Sullivan Theater, we see Greg with the black placard from graphics.
Mike wins himself a phony gift certificate for a brand new car.

We hear Paul playing some Dylan coming back from commercial. Dave asks Paul to do his "Bob Dylan boxing" impersonation. Paul says, "It goes something like this: Pow Pow Pow. How does it feel?"

At the top of the second ACT, Dave has the black placard with the Emeril blurb. Dave makes up his own joke.

TOP TEN: Questions People Ask When Shopping For an Umbrella.
#1. "Do you mind if I pretend to shop for umbrellas until it stops raining?"

JACK HANNA: Director Emeritus of the Columbus Zoo. Jack also hosts the very popular Animal Adventures television series. Jack's animals tonight:
1. The Brown Lemur.
2. The Black Leopard.
3. The African Crown Crane.
4. The Pied Crow.
Commercial.
5. The Kinkajou.
6. The Pallas Cat - named after a Mr. Pallas.
7. 2 Bengal Tigers.

The Brown Lemur likes to eat grapes. Dave tried to feed the Lemur grapes. The lemur twice jumped onto Dave's lap. I was expecting to hear Dave yell out, "He got my grapes!" Didn't happen.
The Black Leopard: Dave wants to know if it purrs. Jack says it doesn't, but promises next time to bring one that does.
How does Jack handle the anthrax found in ruminants? "Simple. I just try to come back without it."
The Kinkajou is the alcoholic of the rainforest. He likes to eat fermented fruit. Dave pets the Pallas cat. Then pets Jack. Jack asks Dave if he's noticed a theme tonight? Dave says, "Uhh, we had a lot of cats?" A disgusted Jack says, "The different colors."

JUSTIN LONG: Of Ed, Wednesday nights at 8:00 on NBC. Justin looks like David Schwimmer 15 years ago, although that's just a guess since I have no idea what David Schwimmer looked like 15 years ago. I liked Justin. I wished I listened more closely. Next time he's on I'll have to get together with him and talk about Northvale and Norwood, New Jersey. Perhaps we'll discuss over drinks at Hennessey's. They film Ed near my home, with "Stuckeybowl" two miles away.

DANIEL RODRIGUEZ: A New York City Police Officer who is making quite a name for himself. He sang God Bless America at the Yankee Stadium for the playoffs last night and none has done it better except Kate Smith. Why would a guy with a voice like Daniel Rodriguez become a NYC police officer? Well, a singer has to work his whole life. A New York City Police Officer can retire after 20 years. Daniel did a great job on the inspirational song.

And that was our show for Tuesday, October 16, 2001. WAHOO EXTRA

Is Regis Philbin just a seat-filler? There he was at the Yankee Stadium Monday night sitting right behind home plate along side Donald Trump. In the fourth inning, no more Regis. Sitting in his seat was a young lovely, the same young lovely who was sitting next to Trump in Game 1. Was she late due to some appointment and Regis merely a seat-filler?

I'm always looking to spark conversation and discussion from my Wahoo column. I like to throw things out there for people to consider, examine, and form an opinion. Some of the topics are quite controversial. I'll check the Late Show newsgroup after I touch upon such a topic and sadly, I'll usually find no mention. Yesterday I mentioned something about the Flintstones. Today there was a thread of nearly 30 posts on the subject in the newsgroup. I think that's all you need to know about the alt.fan.letterman group.

I just received something I ordered off the internet. I should see results in 3 weeks.

Today is National Boss Day. I wish I were the boss of somebody. I always thought by the time I was 43, I would be somebody's boss. Sadly, I'm not even the boss of my own domain. National Boss Day - knock it off, Hallmark. We don't need "National Boss Day." How about "Minimum Wage Day"?

"Are you a real teacher?"
"Are you a real student?"

United States Weather Update: Joe Augitto reports that it's snowing in Hazelhurst, Wisconsin.

It's been 5 weeks since September 11. Today, two more persons are listed in my local newspaper's obituary column from that day. WAHOO SPORTS CORNER

So it's the Yankees vs. Seattle. I like the Yankees chances more here than against the A's. The only Seattle pitching starter I fear is Moyer the Annoyer. The Yankees usually have trouble with junkball pitchers like Moyer. The Yankees are lucky in that Moyer pitched Monday against the Indians and won't be available for a few days. The Yanks will eat up Sele on Wednesday. But I'm usually wrong.

Yesterday I asked why Giambi was given an error when his throw went awry to second base after a pickoff attempt from pitcher Mulder? Why wasn't Knoblauch simply given a "safe stealing?" This from Wahoo reader Doug Pappas, a member of the Umpires & Rules Committee, Society for American Baseball Research
- found in MLB's Rule 10.08, "Stolen Bases"
"Rule 10.08 starts: 'A stolen base shall be credited to a runner whenever he advances one base unaided by a hit, a putout, an error, a force out, a fielder's choice, a passed ball, a wild pitch or a balk, subject to the following...' , Knoblauch's advance was aided by an error, so no SB.
The stolen base-plus-wild-throw is covered by Rule 10.08(b): 'When a runner is attempting to steal, and the catcher, after receiving the pitch, makes a wild throw trying to prevent the stolen base, credit a stolen base. Do not charge an error unless the wild throw permits the stealing runner to advance one or more extra bases, or permits another runner to advance, in which case credit the stolen base and charge one error to the catcher.'
Hope this helps."
No, it doesn't. I understand the ruling better now but I'm equating Giambi's throw to that of a catcher. If a catcher throws off-line when the runner would have obviously been out trying to steal, no error is given to the catcher (that is, if the runner stays at second and doesn't proceed to third due to the errant throw.) The runner is given a stolen base, end of story. My contention is if Giambi's throw is considered an error, a catcher's off-line throw should also. And if a catcher is not given an error, neither should Giambi.
- found in McIntee's Rule 1.1, "Stolen Bases." Thanks for your time, Doug. I guess this is more of a "discussion" question than a "ruling" question. I understand the rule. I'm just not sure I agree with it.
Say hello to Milt.

I'm watching the Diamondback/Braves game right now. Two out, top of the 9th. Randy Johnson on the mound. Between pitches, there is 17 camera shot changes. Then 14. Then 11. Then 15. I wish televised baseball would take half their cameras and throw them in the river. Of the rest, use only half of that.